The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1887-01-13
JOHNSON CITY, TENN, THURSDAY JANUARY 10, 1887

WIN W "AiNh 10 pAVVVJ N"AiOJ Se'llOu
Turkey Cove, through which dashes
a rapid mountain stream called Arm
strong creek, From this point mag
nihcent views are obtained To the
east are to be seen the varying sum-
mits of the Blue Ridge. To the south
are the beautiful valleys of the head
waters of the Catawba and the undu-
lating foot hills Of North Carolina down
to the cotton fields of her sister State
To the west is Mt. Mitchell, the high
est mountain peak east Of the Rock
les, covered to its utmost pinnacle
with cool, fragrants balsams. To the
north lies the splendid basin of Mitch
ell county, N. c., huge bowl OF green
hillocks watered by the purest of riv-
ers and creeks full of speckled trout,
The rim of this bowl is made of the
Black, the Iron and the Unaka Noun
tains, On the north the high Roam
rises its huge mass, covered with a
vast flower garden Of sub-arctic plants
and dominated on top by the great
white summer hotel, the highest habi-
tation east Of Colorado, This is a
sight worth continental trip to wit
ness-once seen, never forgotten.
The valley of the Armstrong is dot
ted with farm houses, fenced fields and
orchards that from this elevation look
like the toy villages Santa Claus
totes about at this season. When in
the springs those fields in the valley
are robed in living green and the
hundreds of apple trees are clothed in
snowy blossoms, the picture to be seen
from this eminence must be exquisite
ly lovely. But the railroad must get
down into that valley, and to accom-
plish that feat an extraordinary de-
velopment will be necessary After
making slight cut, the road will
twist and turn like great serpent
over ledgh OF eight or ten miles. 1t
will be costly and hard work, for this
mountain side is exceedingly rough.
But by this development a grade not
exceeding ninety feet to the mile is Sc
cured without tunnel, with a safe
and practicable roadway, lower by
half than the grade of any road cross
ing the Blue Ridge. AS an offset to
this difficult section, the cost of bull
ding the railroad through the valley
will be very light indeed In the
ridges and spurs bordering Turkey
Cove are extensive beds of hematite
and an abundance of limestone. Fol-
lowing down Armstrong creek to with
in mile of its confluence with the
north forkaof the Catawba, the road
will strike over into the valley of Toms
creek and will run down it to its juno
ton with the Catawba, three miles
north of the city.
Marion is 81 miles south OF Johnson
City, 800 miles south of Ashland, Ken,
lucky, and when the "Three C's" rail-
road is built will be but 565 miles from
Cincinnati. This railroad will cross
the Western North Carolina at this
point, thus making it junction city
for the Piedmont Section of North
Carolina When wrote from here
last summer, predicted in the letter
published in the Manufacturers Re
cord that this would in time become
quite place. After going through tC
the Ohio and studying the resource:
of the intervening country, my faitl
in the future of Marion is stronger
than ever. 1t is good time for peo
pie to buy property in Ashland, John
son City and Marion now for there il
no boom, although real estate values
} are stiffening. By and by these place
will have their turn, and when th,
} rush of purchasers comes those VIII,
, invested earliest will make the mos
money.
B.. P.